Lt. Gov. Newsom declares emergency in county

Jul. 20, 2013

Loading Photo Galleries ...

Written by

Denise Goolsby, Xochitl Peña, Colin Atagi and Dave Nyczepir

The Desert Sun

Mountain Fire's origin pinpointed at 'Gibraltar We...: The Mountain Fire's point of origin was shown exclusively to The Desert Sun by firefighters. The wildfire, which had burned 24,818 acres by Friday, started on a property at 53-750 Highway 243 in Mountain Center.

The tape is posted between two trees near an antique windmill and gulch, about 100 yards from a stone, A-frame house untouched from the fire. A sign near the property, which has a gated entrance, tennis courts, a pool, and a basketball court, refers to it as “Gibraltar West.”

Don Parker, whose property abuts the land, said he had contractors working at his home when the fire broke out.

“My guys working on Monday saw the plume of smoke over the trees. They went and grabbed my foreman and they called me,” he said. “I live 100 yards from his home on the other side of the fence. If it would have been blowing the other way, I would’ve been hit.”

State of emergency

The Mountain Fire, which grew Friday into the biggest blaze in California so far this year, has scorched almost 27,179 acres, destroyed 23 structures and continues to threaten 5,600 buildings.

With containment holding steady at 15 percent, the cost to fight the blaze grew to $10.9 million.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency for Riverside County on Friday evening. This joins Thursday’s local emergency declaration by Riverside County supervisors and now makes the county eligible for disaster funds should state and federal officials make them available.

“This fire is disastrous for our community,” wrote Assemblyman Brian Nestande, R-Palm Desert, earlier in the day. “Lives and homes are threatened and the financial damage is already astronomical.”

Five firefighters have suffered minor injuries — two of those occurred on Friday when two firefighters suffered dehydration.

Flames continue to burn at the north and northwest borders of the fire, but ran out of fuel to the east and southeast on Friday. Containment crews are working to keep the fire north of Highway 74 and Garner Valley, west of Dunn Road, south of South Ridge and San Jacinto Peak, and east of McCall Road and Highway 243.

Point of origin

Julie Hutchinson, a spokeswoman with Cal Fire, which is leading the investigation into how the blaze started, said a cause has yet to be determined.

She said lightning has been ruled out because of weather conditions at the time of ignition.

“We know on that day it was a clear day. There was no lightning activity. It’s a systematic approach of ruling out and narrowing down,” Hutchinson said of the investigation process.

Hutchinson could not say whether the fire was started by a person despite a Forest Service incident commander who said Thursday it was “human caused.”

She said Cal Fire does not use that term and would not release information until the exact cause is determined.

“It could be arson. It could be children playing with fire … just a myriad of other causes,” Hutchinson said.

Some head home, others could flee

The Forest Service put residents of Pine Cove on notice for potential evacuation Friday morning while the fire-damaged communities of Fobes Canyon and Springs Lake Canyon, evacuated earlier this week, were allowed to return home Friday.

On Thursday, residents of the Bonita Vista and Apple Canyon areas were allowed to return home, as well, after the Forest Service determined the danger had passed in these areas.

“Most of the damage and destruction was in the first few days. It is the first time they’re allowed to go in and look at the damage,” said Hutchinson of those returning home.

The folks in Pine Cove were advised to leave if they feel threatened, but were warned that everyone should be ready to evacuate if an order is issued. Some residents didn’t think twice about leaving, while others packed their things and waited.

John Schaffer, a retired firefighter with the California Department of Forestry, spent Friday watering his flowers and removing pine needles from his roof and gutters — anything that could catch fire if hit by a stray ember.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had to prep my own house,” he said. “I usually do it for someone else.”

Mark Dean, another resident, packed his motorcycle away in a trailer attached to his truck. He said he knows he could leave town within 15 to 20 minutes.

“My trigger is if I see fire on that ridge line,” Dean said, adding, “Most everybody is ready to go.”

Weather reports show a 20 percent chance of lightning heading into Saturday and temperatures in the low 60s. Skies should be partly cloudy.

The weather, created by a large smoke and ash column in the northwest part of the fire, could create conditions of “extreme fire growth” and pose a risk for firefighters.

“Large smoke columns have the potential to create thunderstorms which may lead to lightning and strong winds,” according to a Forest Service announcement.

“With the current unstable atmosphere the column may raise high enough to form an ice cap,” the announcement continues. “Eventually the weight of the ice will cause the column to collapse. When the column collapses strong downdraft winds push the fire in multiple directions placing firefighters at risk.”

Spot fires, as seen on the Palm Springs side of the mountain over the past couple of days, are often caused by embers sent airborne in the smoke column and downdraft winds.

Forest Service officials say securing the fire line on the northwest side of the blaze is top priority. Air tankers and helicopters continue to be used to minimize fire growth.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District for the fourth day issued a smoke advisory Friday.

The AQMD advises anyone directly impacted by the smoke to avoid vigorous physical activity whether indoor or outdoor and those with respiratory problems or heart problems, the elderly and children to remain indoors.

Riverside County also issued a notice Friday urging all residents returning to their homes after the fire, to boil their water before using for drinking or cooking because it could be contaminated if water lines were broken or depressurized during the fire, said an employee of the California Department of Public Health.

Tests will be conducted to see if the water has been compromised and residents will be informed when they can begin to use tap water again.

Ruiz to survey damage today

On Saturday, U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, is scheduled to tour some of the areas damaged by the Mountain Fire.

He’ll head to the Garner Valley command center at 12:45 p.m. for a tour and a debriefing on the fire with command personnel. He’ll wrap up his tour by meeting evacuees at Hemet High School.

No threat to Palm Springs from flames

In the Coachella Valley, Palm Springs officials continued to reassure residents that the Mountain Fire is not threatening the city.

But the blaze is continuing to affect the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which will remain closed to the public through Sunday due to dangerous smoke and fire conditions atop Mount San Jacinto, officials confirmed Friday afternoon.

Firefighters plan to use the tram to gain access to the wildfire at some point this weekend.